


A Taste of What's to Come

by Aleanbh, The Calling Comes to All (Aleanbh)



Series: Ellana Lavellan [1]
Category: Dragon Age
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-02
Updated: 2014-12-02
Packaged: 2018-02-27 19:45:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2704307
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aleanbh/pseuds/Aleanbh, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aleanbh/pseuds/The%20Calling%20Comes%20to%20All
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cassandra and Cullen are concerned about Ellana Lavellan's attitudes toward templars.  They decide to show her exactly why mages are meant to fear them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Taste of What's to Come

"Cassandra, is this truly necessary?" Ellana was watching Cullen strap a shield onto his left arm, testing its weight before moving to the weapon's rack. "I really don't see the appeal of watching the Commander chase me about the training yard while I pelt him with spells."

  
"That attitude is precisely why this is necessary," the Seeker replied with a grimace. "Before we let you anywhere near these red templars, Commander Cullen suggested you ought to have a small taste of what to expect."

  
"I just don't see why I should be terrified of what amounts to a neutered Templar," the elf said petulantly. "Don't get me wrong, the Commander is a soldier without peer, but he's going to be helpless with the range difference."

  
"So you say." Cassandra nodded to Cullen who had come to stand beside her. "The Inquisitor is of the opinion this won't take long."

  
Cullen's eyes gleamed with an all too familiar challenge. "Oh, she's quite right. Just not in the way she anticipates."

  
Ellana surged to her feet, staff in hand and a snarl twisting her lips.

  
"Bold words for a _shem_ ," she spat, shoving past the two. Over her shoulder she called, "Let's see if you can back up your boast!"

  
Cassandra and Cullen watched as she made her way to the arena, the tips of her fingers flaring with the occasional fire burst.

  
"Andraste have mercy," the commander muttered so only Cassandra could hear. "I'm definitely going to pay for this later."

  
"Absolutely," the Seeker replied with a rare smile. "But at least she won't be caught off guard."

  
"Why do you think I agreed to your suicidal plan?" he huffed, pulling his lion helm over his head and following the Inquisitor to the training ground.

  
"Tell me, darling," Vivienne began, watching the elf's restless pacing with a bemused expression, "have you ever had to deal with a templar? Or a recruit, for that matter."

  
Dorian was leaning on the railing next to the First Enchanter, idly twisting his moustache around a finger. "If I recall correctly, the Dalish tend to avoid those kinds of conflicts when they arise." He laughed when a flare of electricity erupted from Ellana's fingers. "Ah, but that always galled you didn't it?"

  
"They always travelled in packs!" Ellana snapped, her nose wrinkling in distaste. "We couldn't match their numbers so we had to flee. A single _shem_ priest? Don't make me laugh."

  
"A _shem_ priest, am I?"

  
Dorian burst into a hysterical fit of laughter at the horrified look on the Inquisitor's face before she spun to face the Commander. Cullen's arms were crossed, yet he seemed more amused than angry. Vivienne gave the Inquisitor a stern look before politely excusing herself.

  
"W-was that not part of a templar's title?" Ellana stammered, her entire face flushed. The tips of her ears were crimson. "They were warrior priests?"

  
"It was more the _shem_ bit that I took exception to," Cullen replied easily, unsheathing his sword and moving a few paces away. Reaching up, he locked his visor into place. "By your leave, my lady Inquisitor."

  
The elf rankled, feeling guilty for her careless words. "You're an attractive _shem_ , at least?"

  
Cullen didn't reply, instead drawing a line in the dirt between them. His shield was held loosely, his sword arm lax as he observed her. The snarling lion's head that covered the Commander's familiar smirk was disconcerting, yet Ellana refused to be intimidated. Holding her staff out in front of her, she began to channel her mana into the obsidian glass orb at the top.

  
The second her staff began to glow, the entirety of Cullen's posture shifted. The shield came up at an angle, his sword tight against his hip as he hunkered down to make the most of the shield's protection. Ellana could instinctively feel the aura that was suddenly around the Commander, hissing when she felt her mana beginning to drain. Taking a few steps back, she narrowed her eyes and judged the distance she needed to maintain to avoid it. It didn't leave her much room for error.

  
 _Gotta finish this fast..._

  
The arcane barrage exploded from her staff, flames arcing behind the ex-templar in order to circumvent his shield. The Commander sprung into action instantly, charging towards the mage in an effort to close the distance between them. He was nearly close enough to reach out and touch her before Ellana had a chance to react. The elf's body turned to mist just as he was reaching for her, passing through the Commander's outstretched hand and hurtling toward the other side of the courtyard.

  
When she manifested again, Ellana felt a stab of terror as she watched Cullen turn to face her, his shield moving impossibly fast to scatter the arcane barrage as if it were a mere annoyance. The shock numbed her long enough for Cullen to rush her once again. His shield hand reached out, firmly gripping her wrist and in a blind panic, Ellana attempted to pull from her mana to freeze him.

  
Instead of the icy taste of frost magic rushing through her veins, she felt a void where her mana once was. Cullen could see the confusion turn to realization before it was replaced by a near animalistic terror. He shifted away from the knee aimed at his groin, dropping his sword in order to get an arm around the Inquisitor's waist.

  
Ellana tried to wrench herself away from him, but the Commander's grip was like steel. Before she knew what had happened, she was on her back with Cullen's weight settled atop her and the bite of a blade pressed against her throat. She blinked in confusion before staring up at him in disbelief.

  
"Time?" Cullen called out, releasing her and getting to his feet.

  
"Three minutes," Dorian replied, sauntering over and extending a hand to the startled Inquisitor.

  
The Commander tugged his helm off, face flushed with exertion and his hair mussed. While she wanted to be angry--furious even-- Ellana had a hard time staying angry with him when he looked at her the way he was. His golden eyes were bright, an easy smile on his face that wasn't patronizing or smug.

  
"I..." Ellana cleared her throat, unable to meet his eyes. "I suppose Seeker Pentaghast was correct. Three minutes and I would have been dead." After a moment, she glowered up at him. "Don't think this is the last time we spar, either!"

  
Cullen gave her a polite bow, straightening and tucking his helm under his arm. "Of course, Inquisitor," he said. "Another weekly appointment outside our usual chess games?"  
"Until I can throttle you as easily here as I can on the chess board, yes."

  
Cullen's laughter echoed after her as she made her way to her quarters, a smile on Ellana's lips despite her defeat.

**Author's Note:**

> Just a little something I decided to write since finishing up Inquisition. I'll more than likely be posting more drabbles of these two as ideas come to me.


End file.
